Farmers urged to '˜paint it pink' to stop spate of battery thefts in Cambridgeshire

Farmers across Cambridgeshire are being urged to '˜paint it pink' as part of a crackdown on battery thefts.
By The Newsroom
Published 4th Aug 2017, 12:01 BST
Updated 12th Sep 2017, 12:12 BST
One of the marked batteriesOne of the marked batteries
One of the marked batteries

Between March and May there were 108 battery thefts across the county damaging their livelihood and costing them hundreds of pounds.

Thieves cut the cables from farmer’s irrigation pumps and machinery or find scrap batteries from yards and attempt to sell them at scrap yards or recycling centres for their lead content.

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Officers from Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s Rural Crime Action Team hope that painting the batteries bright pink and marking them with postcodes will stop thieves in their tracks.

PC Sam Thompson said: “We’re asking farmers to paint their batteries pink and etch each one with their postcode. Meanwhile officers have been visiting scrap yards and recycling centres advising staff not to accept pink or marked batteries without a driving licence or similar photo identification with an address linking them to the battery.

“Battery thefts not only cost our farmers hundreds of pounds to replace they disrupt their work and cost their livelihood.”

Members of the public are urged to be the eyes and ears of the rural community and report any suspicious behaviour to police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.